Episodes
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The attention of people around the world has been captured by the presence of Irish soldiers standing in the way of the Israel Defence Forces as they launch an invasion of Lebanon in a bid to defeat militant group Hezbollah. In an area where Irish troops have been stationed so long that some locals have picked up Irish accents, personal ties go deep. The chief of staff of Ireland's defence forces has said Irish troops will "stay strong" in the face of Israeli orders to leave their positions following a spate of attacks on UN outposts. How did the peace force come to be there, and what comes next? Naomi and Tim speak to reporters on the ground and sum up how the conflict reached its present point, and Ireland's unique role in the region. We hear from Sally Hayden about her reporting on the ongoing bombing of Beirut, while Hannah McCarthy explains what the Irish peacekeepers have been facing, and what may lie behind Israel's tactics.
For bonus episodes and to support the podcast, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
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On Ireland's west coast, far from the noise and fury of US partisan politics, presidential contender Donald Trump has been bested by a fearsome foe: a tiny snail no larger than a pin prick.
Naomi and Tim dig into the curious links between the Republican candidate and this windswept corner of Ireland, most notably the village of Doonbeg, where the development of a Trump golf course transformed local fortunes.
We speak to journalist Kate Demolder about her experience reporting in the town and the local tensions she discovered between economic dependence on Trump, and deep reservations about his politics.
Finally, Naomi and Tim consider what's at stake for Ireland in the coming US election and whether the relationship between Trump and Doonbeg is a microcosm of Ireland's policy towards the US.
Naomi recalls her experience reporting on Trump in Scotland in 2016 and the red flags that were evident then in our bonus debrief episode over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/112180566/
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Missing episodes?
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We're on holiday! So please enjoy this classic episode of the podcast first recorded back in 2018. We'll be back soon with all new episodes and Halfpint extra content.
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The most popular sports in Ireland are the Gaelic games: uniquely Irish sports with an ancient history and a dramatic political backstory that are finding increasing international success. Tim visits the Paris Gaels to hear why players who have never set foot in Ireland have taken to Gaelic football, while Naomi explores the importance of the intensely local amateur sports to communities in Ireland. We hear from sports historian Paul Rouse of University College Dublin on how the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 was deeply linked to the nationalist politics of the time. From Bronze Age myths about hurling matches between ancient tribes, to a devastating massacre in Croke Park stadium in 1920, we hear why modern Ireland can’t be understood without the GAA. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
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In the fourth episode of our Conquest miniseries, we take on of the most defining moments in the history of Ireland: the mass-plantation of Ulster. We'll see how the arrival of thousands of colonial settlers in this erstwhile Gaelic stronghold transformed the geopolitical dynamics of Ireland, Scotland, and England alike. We'll look at how the Ulster project and the settlement of Virginia took inspiration from one another; we'll explain why the redistribution of land in Ireland became so important to the emerging concept of "Britain", and we'll find out why local Gaelic populations were never fully "replaced".
The texts from the Ulster Plantation Papers can be found here.
Patreon supporters enjoy early access to this episode and also have access to an exclusive after-show debrief where we delve into our topic in more detail. If you would like to support the continued making of the podcast and gain access to over 100 exclusive "halfpint" episodes along the way, you can sign up to be a Patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
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We have made this halfpint bonus episode freely available to all our listeners. If you want to access more than 100 extra-content episodes just like this, you can sign up to support the continued making of the podcast at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
In this edition of halfpints, we answer questions about the recent EU and local elections in Ireland, and break down what the major consequences might be for the Irish and European political landscape.
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In February 2024, Michelle O'Neill assumed the position of first minister of Northern Ireland, making her the first person of an Irish-identifying, Catholic background to hold this most high-profile post in the devolved government. And yet, the difficulty O'Neill faced when trying to take her seat at Stormont highlighted the fact that, for a minority in the territory, Catholic nationalist are not seen as having a legitimate role in Northern Ireland's society. In this episode we look at the phenomenon of "uppity" Catholics - people who have been perceived to rise too far above their station, and who have thereby become targets for abuse and even violence. We speak to Pr Colin Harvey from the Human Rights Centre at Queens University Belfast about becoming a political target in the wake of Brexit, and we hear from Irish Times journalist and Author Martin Doyle about growing up in an aspirational Catholic family during the Troubles whose successes in local business fostered dark resentments in the local community ...
Martin Doyle's award-wining memoir, Dirty Linen, was published by the Irish Academic Press in 2023, and can be purchased here.
Irish Passport Patrons have access to an exclusive extended reading of Martin's essay, “A ghost estate and an empty grave”. If you would like to support the podcast and access over 100 pieces of extra content, you can become a patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
This episode featured ‘The Moon Got Tangled in the Branches’ by Aleksey Chistilin
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The most expensive, most all-consuming war in Elizabethan England was not waged against France or Spain, but against Ireland. In the third instalment in our Conquest series, we see how the great clan chiefs of Ireland united under the banner of "Arch Traitor" Hugh O'Neill to stage a momentous uprising against the colonial English state. From Gaelic pirate ships sailing up the Thames to fearsome crowns of peacock feathers gifted by vengeful Popes, we follow the dramatic events that led to Ireland's disparate clans combining to form an unprecedented front of resistance - one so seemingly unbreakable that it threatened the financial ruin of England itself.
Special thanks to Gráinne Smyth, who sang "Óró sé do bheatha abhaile" for this episode.
Thank you to our Patrons who keep this podcast running. You can find our Patreon debriefs and 100+ more episodes of extra audio content at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
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In this political update, Naomi and Tim sum up the background of the incoming new Taoiseach Simon Harris and discuss the sudden resignation of Leo Varadkar and the different factors behind it.
One of them was Ireland's two recent referendums aimed at changing some of the more Catholic-influenced conservative language in the 1937 constitution, which ended in a resounding defeat for the government. What were the proposed changes and why were they rejected by the public?
Finally, we look ahead to the bonanza of elections that are due in the coming year, and how the different parties sit in the polls.
What are your thoughts on the resignation of Leo Varadkar and the incoming Simon Harris? A bonus episode where we take listener questions is coming soon for supporters over on Patreon.
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Part two of our Conquest mini-series explores the violent occupation of Gaelic Ireland by Elizabethan adventurers between 1560 and 1590, heralding an age of terror and genocide that would ultimately lead to a full-scale war between the Gaelic clans of Ireland and the English crown. From the demise of the Old English Lordships to the tentative plantations of Ulster, this episode lays out the very foundations for the colonisation of Ireland.
A bonus debrief episode is available for Patreon supporters over on www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
You'll find a link to the book we mentioned in the show here: www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2017/nine-years-war/
You can find a link to the London Irish Centre, here: londonirishcentre.org/
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In the period from 1534 to 1653 Ireland was profoundly transformed. At the start, it was almost entirely Gaelic, ruled by Gaelic clans with an ancient way of life, and unique legal and political system. A hundred years later, Ireland was unrecognisable. In this first part of our new mini series, Conquest, Tim and Naomi set the scene for the profound transformation of the island of Ireland by colonial invasion.
A bonus episode in which Naomi and Tim discuss the making of this episode and what stood out to them is now available for Patreon supporters here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/after-show-97840308
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Every year the Irish government and national media lend their full attention to the arrival of Santa Claus on the island of Ireland, and discuss the various logistics of his visit to every child in the country. In this mini bonus episode, we bring you this most important news story of the year, and explain how, for a few days every December, Santa dominates the parliamentary agenda of Dáil Éireann.
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Tim published a book!
How does nobility work as a power strategy, why does it bear so many curious similarities to the construct of race, and what does all of this have to do with Ireland?
We delve into Tim's book, "Nobility and the Making of Race in Eighteenth-Century Britain", published by Bloomsbury Academic this autumn, and uncover the intricate power dynamics of Irish nobility in the eighteenth century. We find out how during this age of colonial expansion European naturalists began to classify global populations according to ancient traditions of blood hierarchy, reimagining white Europeans as the natural aristocracy of mankind. We also explore how the very idea of "natural nobility" in Ireland at this time brought up profound anxieties, revealing a dangerous power vacuum at the heart of colonial rule.
Listeners can buy "Nobility and the Making of Race in Eighteenth-Century Britain" on the Bloomsbury Publishing website: www.bloomsbury.com.
Patreon members benefit from early access to this episode -- thank you for keeping the show running! If you would like access to our 100+ episodes of extra content and support the continued making of show along the way, you can sign up at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
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As the world reels from the horrific Hamas attack on Israel and its deadly retribution on the Gaza Strip, Ireland has emerged as a prominent player in the European response to the worsening conflict.
In this episode, Naomi and Tim sum up the current situation and explain some of the historical context that explains why Ireland has traditionally been one of the most sympathetic western countries towards the Palestinian cause.
The two sides of this conflict have long been adopted by rival communities in Northern Ireland, with Irish republicans flying the Palestinian flag and British loyalists identifying with Israel. The episode reviews some of the lesser-known historical links between Ireland and the foundation of Israel, exploring the complexities of a time when the relationship between Zionism and Irish Republicanism was not the same as it is now.
Finally, Naomi describes her reporting on the confused European response and why Ireland has emerged as a prominent voice.
Tragically, after the recording of this episode we learned that the missing Irish citizen Kim Damti was confirmed dead. Our deepest condolences to her family.
Thank you so much to all our Patreon supporters for helping us make this podcast. You can support us on: www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
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We're back and diving straight into breaking politics, as Naomi explains the chilling implications of the UK government's new "Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy Bill". This controversial new law has provoked outrage from across the communities of Northern Ireland, uniting unionist and nationalist political parties against it. But what does this law entail, how will it affect the people of Northern Ireland, and why does it represent a tense new chapter in British-Irish relations? We explain all.
Listeners to this episode might be interested in these previous instalments of the Irish Passport Podcast:Collusion: https://www.theirishpassport.com/podcast/s3-episode-3-collusion/Poetry and Pain: https://www.theirishpassport.com/podcast/s3-episode-4-poetry-and-pain/
Thanks as always to our Patreon supporters for keeping the podcast running. If you would like to access extra content from the Irish Passport, you can support the show at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
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Hi everyone, Naomi here. Like many people I've been reeling since the news of the death of Sinéad O'Connor. I took a moment to share some of my thoughts and a little about Sinéad and who she was - the girl with towering musical gifts who broke out of a Magdalene Laundry to busk on the streets of Dublin and achieved worldwide fame while never losing her soul. Unfortunately, her life was cruel, and she paid the price.
Here are some of the links I mentioned:
Radio Sinéad, a Spotify playlist of 467 songs that she loved and put together to share publicly: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4tJNA0rDI3sdlO5fF2f4jW?si=goXEjQDBQiWD8lLpUopDbg
A tribute to Sinéad O'Connor by President Micheal D Higgins https://president.ie/en/media-library/news-releases/statement-by-president-higgins-on-the-death-of-sinead-oconnor
Black Boys on Mopeds (1990), by Sinéad O'Connor https://youtu.be/n14lwdpYkAA
Sinéad O'Connor explains why she ripped up the picture of the pope on Saturday Night Live https://youtu.be/b3CuF7B3tIY
Sinéad O'Connor faces down a booing crowd at Madison Square Garden, and stands by her remarks about child abuse in the days after her controversial Saturday Night Live Appearance https://youtu.be/GzxTDHMQza8
The Prayer of St Francis, 1993 https://twitter.com/KillianM2/status/1684302806067322883?s=20
You Made Me the Thief of your Heart (1994) https://youtu.be/X2SVsV7Wuh4
In her own words, Sinéad O'Connor recounts her experience in a Magdalene Laundry as a teenager http://web.archive.org/web/20230329225310/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/sinead-o-connor-on-her-teenage-years-i-steal-everything-i-m-not-a-nice-person-i-m-trouble-1.4560611
A comeback performance in 2019 on RTÉ's Late Late Show in which Sinéad O'Connor proudly appeared in dress and headscarf reflecting the spiritual refuge she found in her conversion to Islam in 2018. https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0727/1074429-sinead-oconnor-melts-hearts-on-late-late-show/
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Ireland's strict libel laws and onerously expensive legal system is stacked against journalists and in favour of wealthy people who abuse the situation to censor reporting about them. That's when Naomi discovered in her research for a recent report for press freedom organisation the International Press Institute. She discusses what she found out, why property developers are particularly litiguous in Ireland, and what the impact is on ordinary journalists and media organisations from the largest broadcasters to the smallest magazines and podcasts.
As it happens, Tim was recording this episode in Paris, just as France was about to face another night of large-scale rioting following the shooting of a teenager by police. He explains what led to the situation.
To access more than 100 bonus episodes like this one, support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
Naomi's report can be read here: https://ipi.media/ireland-how-the-wealthy-and-powerful-abuse-legal-system-to-silence-reporting/
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What's in a gene? We wade into the world of genetics, to find out all about an extensive DNA mapping project called the Irish DNA Atlas and to see what it can tell us about the history of Ireland. We also take a look at the phenomenon that is at-home DNA ancestry tests, which have exploded in popularity in the past few years, as well as exploring the ethical or legal concerns they might bring up. Finally, we take a deep dive into our own genetic legacy, revealing the potential secrets hidden in our DNA...
Supporters of Patreon hear our episodes early and ad-free. You can sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
A bonus episode discussing the making of this podcast and additional insights is available here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/after-show-dna-83901131
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In the second part of our episode on Ireland's lost forests, Naomi travels to the Beara peninsula in Co. Cork to speak to sculptor and author Eoghan Daltun. Eoghan's award-wining book, An Atlantic Rainforest: a Personal Journey into the Magic of Rewilding, recounts how he has brought a sector of ancient Irish woodland back to life by simply making space for native ecosystems to thrive. We also hear about how E.U. policy has shaped woodland preservation in Europe, we discuss how big predators might be the key to restoring biodiversity, and we return to the mystery of the bare-bottomed Woodkernes - discovering the weird and ancient art of the Braigetóir, or professional flatulists.
A bonus episode will be available at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
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A rich political, social and economic history of Ireland can be told by an analysis of its landscape, and specifically through the history of its trees.
In this episode, Naomi and Tim delve into the history of deforestation and its tangled associations with colonialism and agriculture, and whether the 'green' image of Ireland is all that it seems.
Coming soon in part 2, we will visit a place where the ancient forest of Ireland is making a rebound: in the Irish Atlantic Rainforest restored on the Beara Peninsula by Eoghan Daltun.
Patreon supporters can access a bonus debrief episode over at https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport in which Naomi and Tim discuss a genocidal Elizabethan poet who was banished to Cork, and why a blank and featureless lawn is considered an ideal to so many...
Thanks so much for listening!
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Beannachtaí na féile Pádraig oraibh! To celebrate Ireland's national day, please enjoy this classic St. Patrick's Day episode from our archives, originally released in 2018.
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